A.J. Burnett

Between now and Opening Day, HardballTalk will take a look at each of baseball’s 30 teams, asking the key questions, the not-so-key questions, and generally breaking down their chances for the 2014 season. Next up: The Philadelphia Phillies. The Big Question: Can the Phillies have all of their key players stay healthy for an entire…

The Phillies’ rotation depth took a hit today, as Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that right-hander Ethan Martin has been shut down for three weeks due to triceps and shoulder capsule strains. Martin left Thursday’s exhibition opener against the Blue Jays due to shoulder soreness. He faced just four batters and was reportedly hitting around…

David Ortiz gets a lot of criticism for having the audacity to want to be paid like the superstar he is. Actually, to be paid far less than a lot of superstars make. He makes $15 million, after all, and that’s less than A.J. Burnett makes. Yet people still complain about him wanting to get…

The A.J. Burnett signing is sounding more and more important for the Phillies with every piece of pitcher-related news that comes out, it seems. At around the same time the Phillies handed a contract to Burnett, they announced that Cole Hamels wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day due to shoulder tendinitis. Now, according to Jim…

The Orioles have arguably had the worst off-season of any Major League team. They had the much-publicized contract snafus with closer Grant Balfour and outfielder Tyler Colvin, backing out of contracts with both at the last minute. They traded closer Jim Johnson and, as some have stated, whiffed on the return. Most importantly, though, the…

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has a follow-up to A.J. Burnett signing a one-year, $16 million deal with the Phillies, reporting that the free agent right-hander turned down a one-year, $12 million deal from the Pirates. At the beginning of the offseason Pittsburgh chose not to make Burnett a one-year, $14.1 million qualifying offer that would…

After missing out on A.J. Burnett the Orioles “remain interested” in first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales and “continue to be in contact with his reps,” according to Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore has collected some designated hitter options like Nolan Reimold, Delmon Young, and Henry Urrutia, but the Orioles could definitely find room…

Just minutes after news that Cole Hamels could miss the beginning of the season due to a biceps injury the Phillies have made a big move for the rotation: Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that they’ve signed A.J. Burnett to a one-year contract. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com says it’s worth $16 million. Burnett had two…

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. indicated Friday that he didn’t expect to make any additions prior to spring training, but Todd Zolecki of MLB.com hears that the club is “very much still in the running” to sign free agent right-hander A.J. Burnett. While it’s unclear if the two sides are close to a deal,…

Jon Morosi of FOX Sports is reporting that the Orioles are talking with free agent starters Joe Saunders and Chris Capuano. The Orioles had previously shown interest in A.J. Burnett; their newfound interest in Saunders and Capuano could indicate that they have moved on in their pursuit of starting pitching. Saunders pitched for the Orioles…

With spring training inching ever closer, the A.J. Burnett sweepstakes gathers more and more intrigue. The Phillies are reportedly very unlikely to land the right-hander, leaving the Pirates and Orioles as the most likely suitors. But as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports suggests, the Nationals could emerge as a late suitor: Though a person with…

Philadelphia has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for A.J. Burnett, but general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated pretty strongly that the Phillies won’t be signing the free agent right-hander. Amaro naturally declined to comment specifically on Burnett, but told Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com: I don’t suspect we’ll be doing anything. I think we’ve…

In today’s column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo writes that it’s “a Baltimore-Philadelphia-Pittsburgh runoff” for the services of free agent starter A.J. Burnett. Burnett recently announced his intent to come back for one more season, and initially drew the interest of more than a handful of teams. However, he said he prefers to stay…

A.J. Burnett recently announced that he will pitch for at least one more season before hanging up the spikes. That drew the attention of several teams instantaneously. The Pirates, of course, who had been waiting all off-season for Burnett to make a decision. The Orioles, in need of an upgrade in the rotation. The Phillies,…

Yesterday news broke that A.J. Burnett plans to pitch in 2014 and isn’t necessarily committed to re-signing with the Pirates, which opens the door for other contenders to make a last-minute run at the 37-year-old who was one of the NL’s best pitchers last season. Baltimore was immediately mentioned as a potential landing spot because…

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun talks about the Orioles’ potential pursuit of free agent pitcher A.J. Burnett. In the process, he tells an amusing story about the last time the O’s had a chance to get Burnett. It was in 2005, when the Marlins were shopping him before he hit the free agent market.…

Ken Rosenthal shares the buzz at FOXSports.com: The Toronto Blue Jays, in need of another starting pitcher, might finally be preparing to pounce. The Jays have yet to make an offer to a free-agent starter, according to major league sources. But they have done extensive background work on right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, digging into his medical…

For the past several months the assumption has been that A.J. Burnett would either retire or return to pitch for the Pirates, with calling it a career at age 37 seemingly being in the lead of late. However, according to Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review the free agent right-hander “will return to pitch…

Two weeks ago Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage said he was assuming that A.J. Burnett will retire, but the 37-year-old right-hander has yet to make a decision with less than a month until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that Searage reached out to Burnett in…

Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage was interviewed on 93.7 radio in Pittsburgh and indicated that he expects free agent A.J. Burnett to retire, saying: I’m on that percentage point where he’s not going to come back. Right now I’m leaning that way, where he’s going to retire. Burnett was one of the best pitchers in…

We heard over the weekend that that the Orioles’ top priority was to add a starting pitcher, so it should come as no surprise that ESPN’s Buster Olney names them among the teams interested in free agent right-hander Bronson Arroyo. Olney writes that contract terms is the big question, but Arroyo won’t cost nearly as…

The Orioles are still unsettled at closer and could use another bat for the designated hitter spot, but Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports hears that adding another starting pitcher is the club’s “primary focus” at this time. As we have heard throughout the winter, veteran right-hander A.J. Burnett is at the top of their list.…

Here’s the rundown of where this winter’s top 150 free agents are landing, continuously updated throughout the offseason. Re-signings are posted in red, while players signing with new teams are in blue. Stars denote players who received qualifying offers and thus will cost their new team a draft pick if they sign elsewhere. (Non-tenders have…

MASN’s Roch Kubatko reports that the Orioles are feeling out free agent pitcher A.J. Burnett‘s interest in prolonging his career. If the right-hander wants to go for one more season, the Orioles will want to start a discussion. Kubatko adds that the O’s already met with representatives of Burnett at the winter meetings in Florida.…

Free agent right-hander A.J. Burnett has said publicly and privately that he will either pitch for the Pirates in 2014 or retire from baseball for good. The Bucs want him back and are prepared to commit a significant portion of their budget to the cause, but the 36-year-old has not made an official decision about…